Man Arrested In Fareham Over Murder In 1980

Detectives re-investigating the murder of a 22-year-old woman from Peterborough three decades ago have arrested a 58-year-old man.

Sally McGrath, of Peterborough, was found dead in woods near the Cambridgeshire city in March 1980 after vanishing in July 1979, police said.

A man was arrested in Fareham, Hampshire, early on Tuesday and will be taken to Cambridgeshire for questioning, added a spokesman.

Detectives said the man would also be questioned about a series of rapes and attempted rapes in and around Peterborough in the 1970s.

The spokesman said the arrest followed a cold-case review of Miss McGrath's murder and a number of sexual offences. ``Detectives investigating a murder and several rapes and attempted rapes from the 1970s have today (November 30) arrested a man,'' said the spokesman.

Police said Miss McGrath was last seen alive at about 3pm on July 11 1979, at the Bull Hotel in Westgate, Peterborough, in the company of a man. The spokesman said her body, naked except for a pair of boots, was found on March 1 1980, partially buried in Wild Boar Spinney, at Castor Hanglands, to the west of Peterborough. A post-mortem examination revealed she died from a blunt force injury to her head, said police.

Detectives said Miss McGrath had been living with her parents in Towler Street, Peterborough, when she vanished.

Detective Superintendent Jeff Hill, who is leading the investigation, said: "These were shocking crimes in which a young woman was brutally murdered and other young women were seriously sexually assaulted. My team is dedicated to ensuring that no stone is left unturned as we gather further evidence in relation to these awful crimes. No unsolved crime is ever closed and this operation is part of an ongoing review of cold case murder investigations within the county.

"We are committed in our efforts to secure justice for Sally and her family but we also need help from members of the public. Anyone with information about Sally's disappearance and murder should not hesitate to call us. Sally's family and the rape victims have been kept fully informed of our investigation and will continue to be as it progresses."